Vacuum sweeper



June 24, 1930. c. P. BROCKWAY VACUUM SWEEPER Original Filed Jan. 23, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 kw m 3 V mm 25 e 2 Wm w a a. M 7. 5 3 1 3 U 3 2 A TTORNEY June 24, 1930. c. 1 BRbcKwAY VACUUM SWEEPER Original Filed Jan. 23, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hi1- EZ INVENTOR.

60/'/ P Brockway ATTORNEY I Patented dune 2 3, 193d ing movement of the CARL P. JBRQGKWAY, 0E TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COR- PORATION, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUM SWEEPER Application filed January 23,

This invention relates to a suction cleaner and consists essentially in means for producair inlet, that is, movement aside from the movement of the machine on its carria e.

Ihe principal 0 ject of the invention is to obtain eilicient sweeping of carpets and other fabrics, particularly those havinglong'nap. The usual suction nozzle in passing over a carpet in the forward direction for instance, as it approaches a given thread will attract it and bend it backward, the thread following the suction to vertical position as the nozzle moves directly above it and then bending forward as the nozzle moves away.

Each thread, therefore, receives but one complete oscillation. With a strong suction, this movement would probably be sufficient to efi'ect a satisfactory cleaning of the carpet,

were it not for the fact that threads behind the line of strongest suction are drawn forward at the same time that threads in ad vance of the line are drawn backward, thus producing together at their outer ends a more or less effective barrier to the action of the suction upon dust particles embedded lower down in the carpet. It is the object of my invention to produce a constant movement or oscillation backward and forward, or otherwise, of the line or point of strongest suction, thus overcoming the difliculty ust mentioned, and also causing the threads of the fabric to vibrate more or less rapidly thereby loosening and dislodging the dust particles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mounting which will permit the nozzle as a whole to oscillate.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a driving connection from the exhaust fan to the oscillating nozzle.

A further object is the provision of auxiliary means, such as a brush, for increasing the agitation of the fabric being cleaned. I

Still other objects and objects relating to details of construction and economies of manufacture will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of my in; vention which, for the purposes of the pres- 1919, Serial No. 272,727. Renewed April 4, 1923.

ent application. I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. I is a top plan view of a suction sweeper embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a. view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical cross-section on the line II-II Fig. I.

Fig. III is a vertical transverse section substantially on the line III-III Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a fragmental view partly in vertical longitudinal section showing in detail one form of nozzle supporting means.

Fig. V is a fragmental view on a larger scale than that of Fig. II showing in vertical section the nozzle, and its flexible connection to the exhaust chamber.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the drawing, 10 represents the fan of a suction cleaner driven by an electric motor 11 and exhausting into a dust collector bag 12, a fragment only of which is shown in the drawing. An air-tight casing 13 surrounds the fan and is provided with a forwardly extending portion 14 constituting a chamber or passage through which air may enter the fan casing proper, being led thereto through the passage 15 shown on Fig. III of the drawing. The forward open end of the easing 14 is gradually widened and is attached by means of an air-tight flexible connection 16 to a nozzle 17. The connection 16 may other suitable flexible non-porous material and preferably is cut from a one piece tubular length of fabric specially made for the purpose.

The nozzle 17 is intended to have an oscillating or reciprocating motion in a forward and backward direction, and in order to prevent motions of other kinds, I provide the nozzle with bosses 18, one at each end thereof, through which slide horizontal ro'ds19, the latter being fixedlymounted in bosses 20 attached to the opposite side walls of the chamber 14 at the front end of the latter. A coil spring 21 tends to hold each pair of bosses 18 and 20 separated. Casters 22 are mounted at the extremities of the nozzle bebind the air inlet. In the front part of the nozzle, and co-extensive with the length of the inlet, I prefer to mount a brush 9. The principal load of the machine is carried upon a rear caster 23 and upon traction wheels 24 rotating loosely on an axle 25 which is mounted in bearings supported from the forward portion 14 of the casing.

At the rear of the middle part of the nozzle, there is cast a bifurcated lug 26 Within which is pivoted the forward end of a connecting rod 27 which is pivoted at its rear extremity to the lower endof an arm 29 pivoted substantially midway between its ends to a bifurcated projection 30 extending forwardly from the fan casing 13. The upper part of the rocking arm 29 extends through a vertical opening 31 in the forward portion 14 of the casing and carries an anti-friction-wheel 32 running over a cam 33 fixedto the forwardly projecting axle 34 of the fan which is preferably also a continuation of the shaft of the motor 11. A compression spring 35 is carried between a lug 36 projecting downwardly from the fan casing and a lug 37 projecting rearwardly from the lower end of the rocking arm 29, and serves to keep the anti-friction wheel 32' hearing firmly against the co-acting face of the cam 33 or in other words, to thrust the connecting rod 27 forward whenever the action of the cam 33 upon the rocking arm 29 will permit. Thus the nozzle receives its forward impulse from the spring 36 and the springs 21 and its rearward impulse from the pull of the connect-ing rod 27 caused by the action of the cam 33 upon the rocking arm 29.

In the operation of my invention, the handle 4:0 is employed to move the cleaner over the rug or carpet "being cleaned, which is the usual manner of operation of machines of this character. But the effect is quite different from that of the ordinary suction sweeper, because the inlet slot or mouth of the nozzle not only moves with the machine,

- but possesses an additional vibrating or reciprocating movement, which serves to change, substantially continuously, the line or points of application of the suction to agitate the threads of the fabric being cleaned, thereby loosening the dirt, and which also serves to reduce greatly the tendency of the threads heretofore mentioned, to form a barrier against the action of the suction at its strongest point.

It is obvious, that many different mechanical equivalents may be substituted for the driving connection here shown and described as imparting vibrating or reciprocating movement to the nozzle 17. It ismy intention to cover except as limited by the appended claims all of such equivalents, as well as more or less in detail the particular means here illustrated. My invent-ion contemplates any proper changes in the form, construction and arrangement of any of the parts, as well as the omission of immaterial elements and certain co-operating parts and the substitution of equivalents therefor, as circumstances may suggest or necessity render expedient.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a wheeled suction sweeper adapted to be moved readily back and forth over the surface to be cleaned, a handle for propelling and steering said sweeper, said sweeper comprising an air exhausting means, a nozzle, chamber between said nozzle and exhausting means, said nozzle being provided with an air inlet, and power driven means for causing said inlet to move rapidly with respect to said exhausting means.

2. In a suction sweeper adapted to be continuously moved over the surface to be cleaned, the combination of air exhausting means; a nozzle; 9. brush mounted in said nozzle; means connecting said nozzle and air exhausting means including a flexible element; and automatic means for rapidly oscillating the nozzle and brush relative to said air exhausting means, said brush causing a continuous oscillating brushing action.

3. In a suction sweeper adapted to be continuously moved over the surface to be cleaned, the combination of air exhausting means; a nozzle; a passage between the air exhausting means and the nozzle including a flexible substantially air tight connection; and means for rapidly reciprocating the nozzle relative to the air exhausting means whereby the point of application of the sweeper suction is varied. independently of the movement of the sweeper as a unit.

4. In a suction sweeper, an air exhausting means; an electric motor for operating the same; means for bodily moving said air exhausting means and motor; a nozzle; a flexible conduit between the nozzle and air exhausting means; and mechanically actuated means operated by said motor for vibrating the line of suction at said nozzle of said suction sweeper in passing over an' object to be. cleaned. -5. In a sweeper adapted to be moved over a surface to be cleaned, the combination of suction means; a handle for propelling and steering said sweeper; a nozzle and a connecting chamber between the nozzle and suction means, said nozzle being provided with an air inlet; and means for causing said inlet to move rapidly in the line of movement of the sweeper during action of the cleaning mechanism with respect to the surface being operated upon. l

6. 111 combination, a suction sweeper adapted normally to be continuously reciprocated over the surface to be cleaned, a handle for propelling and steering said sweeper, and air exhausting means, a nozzle,

and a connecting said inlet to and a connecting chamber between said nozzle and exhausting means, said nozzle being provided with ,an air inlet, and means for causing said inlet to move intermittently in the direction of travel of the sweeper during action of the cleaning mechanism with respect to the surface being operated upon. A suction sweeper adapted to be moved readily back and forth over the surface to be cleaned and comprising means for propelling and steering the said sweeper, an air exhausting means, a nozzle, a connecting chamber between'said nozzle and exhausting means, said nozzle being provided with an air inlet, and automatic means for causing move rapidly and continuously during action of the cleaning mechanism with respect to said'exhausting means whereby the zone of application of suction to the surface to be cleaned varies continuously.

8. In a suction sweeper adapted to be moved over a surface to be cleaned, the combination of an air exhausting means, a motor for driving said means, an electric air inlet connected with said exhausting means for the application of suction to the surface to be cleaned, and mechanically actuated means operated by said motor for moving said air' inlet continuously with respect to the air exhausting means to vary continuously the zone of application of suction to the surface to be cleaned.

In testimony .Whereof, I aflEix my signature.

' CARL P. BROCKWAY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,766,425. Granted June 24, 1930, to

can], P. BROCKWAY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 127, claim 6, for the word "continuously" read constantly; page 3, line 23, claim.8, strike out the article "a" and insert "an electric'{ and line 24, strike out the word "electric"; therein that the same may conform to the record Signed and sealed this 28th day of October,

a M. J, Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,766,425. Granted June 24, 1930, to

CARL P. BROCKWAY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction'as follows: Page 2, line 127, claim 6, for the word "continuously" read constantly; page 3, line 23, claim 8, strike out the article "a" and insert "an electric" and line 24, strike out the word "electric"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of October, A. D. 1930.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents, 

